The Prophecies (The Sentinel Series Book 2) (14 page)

‘Seth. You did all this?’

‘Well, I had some help from Quinn, he wanted to put a smile on your face too. Eve…I was going to do this later but I think if I wait any longer I’m going to burst. Tonight is the only night we will see the Carissimi meteor shower so it seemed appropriate.’

Holding my hand, Seth took a big breath then sunk on to one knee. My breath caught in my chest and time seemed to stand still.

‘Eve… my Evie… You are everything to me. Without all this Sentinel stuff even if you were just normal Eve without this destiny ahead of you, I would still love you with everything I have, with everything that I am. I love you for you. I love the way your hair blows in the wind, I love the way your eyes sparkle in the sunlight, the way you smile in your sleep sometimes when I’m holding you.’

Seth reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver ring studded with marcasite and diamonds a tiny cascade of stars. ‘You are my world. I knew from the instant I met you that I would love you for all of my life and I promise to love you with everything I have for as long as we have. Evie…will you marry me?’

I couldn’t breathe. This was everything I wanted. There was nothing else he could give me now that I wanted or needed more. But could we marry when the end of the world was fast approaching, when my training and avoiding death threats seemed to take over my entire life? Persia had foreseen that I was going to die to save the world. Was it fair to marry Seth when I might not be here in a few years’ time?

But I was stronger now, my trip to the Reapers had confirmed that. Maybe I would live to see the world I’d save. Both Cain and Caleb had said that I had a long and happy life with Seth ahead of me. Shouldn’t I embrace that life now?

Seth’s face fell at my silence. ‘I know this isn’t a great time, but there’s never going to be a perfect time for us. One thing I’ve learned is you will always be surrounded by drama and chaos. I know you have commitments and I won’t get in the way of that. Things don’t have to change for us. Except you would be my wife.’ He swallowed. ‘I want you to be my wife.’

I smiled. I couldn’t help the huge grin that split my face. I wanted him to be my husband too. None of the other stuff mattered. Not in this moment. I reached out to touch his face.

I heard a branch snap behind Seth, and he whirled round to stand in front of me, protectively. I saw his stance relax a bit, but not fully at what he could see. I peered round the side of him and could see why. Standing just a few feet from us was Persia and Izri. From Izri’s expression, she had heard every word.

My heart leapt. I hadn’t seen Izri since we had got back from the Reapers. She hadn’t been near me but I wasn’t sure if that was her choice or Eli’s over protectiveness. Persia hadn’t mentioned her either. Lucas suddenly appeared by my side, either Seth or Persia had evidently called him.

I took a deep breath and slowly walked over towards them.

‘Hey Persia,’ I smiled at her wary face, then turned to her sister. ‘Izri, how are you feeling?’

Izri’s eyes were cold as she looked at me, then looked away, her lips trembling as she tried to hold back what she wanted to say.

I swallowed nervously and Seth shifted awkwardly behind me.

‘I’m sorry about Caleb and Clementine…’ I started. I had made my peace with Caleb’s death, but Clementine’s still stung. I knew I couldn’t really blame myself for it. Though Izri obviously did.

She turned back to me, her eyes flashing with angry tears. ‘So you should be, of all the Guardians you could have brought with you, you had to bring him, and you did nothing to protect him, you didn’t shield him, you didn’t try to stop them, you did nothing, he died because of you.’

‘Izri!’ Persia hissed, angrily.

Lucas moved subtly in between me and Izri and Seth squeezed my hand.

‘And Clementine. You let them torture her and did absolutely nothing to save her. You had the power to stop them and you didn’t.’

I looked down at the ground, briefly. I hadn’t realised how deep the hurt and anger ran with her.

Izri scowled at Seth and then back at me. ‘You get to come back, and get to carry on with your life, get married, have kids, be happy. Clementine will never have that. Her daughter will grow up without a Mum and that’s all your fault. I hate you for that, I hate you so much,’ Izri growled, venom dripping from every word.

It was so fast, I barely realised what had happened. One second Persia had been standing by her side, the next she had stepped forward and slapped her round the face as hard as she could. I stepped back in shock. So did Izri.

‘How dare you? After everything that Eve has been through you have the audacity to stand there and say that. She has always put the lives of others above her own. If it wasn’t for her you’d be dead, you ungrateful cow. I’ve tried to be supportive. I understand you are grieving and I am too. It’s worse for you because you lost Caleb as well, but I would never pin the blame on Eve. None of this is her fault and it makes me sick that my own sister can act like this. You’ve pledged to her and that pledge is worth nothing now.’

‘Persia, its ok…’ I tried, calmly. I had never seen Persia this angry before. I’d never seen her angry at all, but now she was shaking with rage.

‘No it’s not. Lucas, Izri will be returning to England as soon as you can make the arrangements’

Lucas nodded.

Izri stared at her in shock. ‘You’re sending me home? You’re staying here with her and sending me back to England? You’re choosing her over me?’

‘There’s no choice to make. After everything Eve has done, she’s family now. I’ve always been loyal to her, she’s my best friend and I love her and until you can see that, until you see where your loyalties should lie, you’re not welcome here anymore.’ Persia turned and walked back up the hill alone, her back stiff, her fists clenched angrily at her side.

Izri turned back to me with a furious anger in her eyes. ‘You see what you’ve done, you’ve turned my own sister against me …’

‘Enough Izri,’ Seth said, quietly. ‘You have every right to be angry at Caleb’s and Clementine’s death, but you have no right to direct that anger at Eve and you know that. When you’ve calmed down, you will really regret the hurtful things you’ve said to her. Persia’s right, you need some time away from here, some time to get some perspective and when you’re ready, you can come back.’

I nodded, sadly. ‘If you feel you can stand by my side again, I’ll be delighted to have you back.’ I reached out to touch her shoulder, but she flinched away. ‘And if not, then know I will always be grateful for the support you showed me in the beginning, and that one day I hope you’ll be happy again.’ I turned and walked back up the hill, feeling so sad that I was abandoning Izri when she needed the support of her friends the most, but with so many people wanting to kill me, I couldn’t have my friends joining the queue. The only reason I felt confident enough to turn my back on her now, especially with her skill and speed with a knife, was that if she was going to try anything Lucas would stop her. I couldn’t live with that doubt every day. I felt sad that with so much hate and anger in her heart, I knew I would probably never see her again.

I hadn’t realised Seth was at my side until I reached the gazebo. As I turned round to look back towards the woods, I nearly bumped into him, as he took me in his arms, holding me tightly against him.

I watched the sun rise wrapped in Seth’s arms. I hadn’t slept at all thinking about Izri, Persia, Clementine and Aurelia. We hadn’t really spoken and I knew that he was still waiting for an answer to his beautiful proposal. But Izri had been right. I got to come back and continue to live my life with Seth by my side. Izri had lost a sister and her boyfriend. It hardly seemed fair to be planning a wedding when she and Persia were going through so much.

And the day that I was to break the Oraculum was getting closer and I still had no idea how I did it.

I was itching to practise my powers, especially to see if I could achieve anything bigger since my return from the Reapers, but Eli didn’t want me doing anything until Persia was able to watch over me and as she was dealing with Izri and her own grief I didn’t think that would be any time soon.

I leaned up to kiss Seth. ‘I’m going for a run.’

I sat up, but he pulled me back down on top of him, wrapping his arms tightly round me.

‘No, sorry, you’re my prisoner now. I’m going to sell you to the Putarians and buy a big house by the sea.’

I snuggled into his chest. ‘Mmm sounds good, but you know if you do that then I’d have to come back and haunt you. When you’re enjoying the sunshine on that beach of yours I’d be following you clanking my chains and moaning.’

Seth kissed my head. ‘Yeah that would kind of put a dampener on my sunbathing, having you standing over me, all pale and see through, moaning noisily. But it’s nice that you’d visit. Now, would you be a regular ghost or would you be a poltergeist moving things around?’

‘Oh definitely a poltergeist. I’d keep hiding your keys and I’d follow you around with a photo of me. Ooh when you turn the taps on, in your palace by the sea, it would run red with blood as a constant reminder of your betrayal.’

Seth nodded approvingly. ‘Nice touch.’

‘Yeah I thought so. Now just so I know, how do you propose to pull off this dastardly plan?’

‘Well first I would lull you into a false sense of security, mmm, lots of kisses should do the trick,’ Seth tilted my chin up to his face so he could kiss me, as he stroked my face softly.

‘Ok, I’m definitely lulled,’ I mumbled.

‘Well, then when you were least expecting it, I’d throw you over my shoulder and make a run for it.’

I linked my fingers through his. ‘And do you think you would get past my Guardians unnoticed?’

‘Let’s see shall we,’ he said, evilly, and suddenly in one impossibly fast movement, he leapt up and swung me over his shoulder. I shrieked.

‘No, wait, you can’t take me to the Putarians in my pyjamas, I have some pride you know.’

Seth hesitated on his way to the door then lowered me gently onto my feet. ‘Very well, I’ll let you get dressed first, but then after that, we’re going straight down to the village and see who will give me the highest offer for you.’

I leaned up to kiss him, looping my arms round his neck. ‘You have my word, I’ll go quietly.’

Seth smirked as he kissed me on the forehead, then left the room.

I quickly threw on my tracksuit then reached out for Lucas and Quinn, asking them both to meet me in the corridor for a run.

I went to the door and opened it a crack, Seth was waiting outside for me, chatting to Alexandria and Mason. His eyes slid to me, mischievously and I quickly closed the door.

I closed my eyes and slid to Quinn’s room. He was doing up his trainers, he looked up at me and grinned at my arrival. ‘That’s the height of laziness Eve, sliding to me instead of walking the twenty yards down the corridor.’

I grinned back. ‘I’m trying to get away from Seth.’

Quinn smiled. ‘Oh ok.’ No questions, no confusion, I loved my brother.

I opened the door a bit and saw Lucas waiting for me outside Quinn’s room.

‘Lucas, is Seth looking this way?’

Lucas looked at me, peering through the crack in the door in confusion, then he looked at Seth and subtly shook his head.

‘Right let’s go,’ I said, grinning as I took off at speed down the corridor, with Quinn and Lucas by my side.

‘Hey!’ I heard Seth roar indignantly, and then the sound of his feet running quickly after me. I laughed as I ran on, reaching the end of the corridor and quickly running down the stairs.

But Seth was fast, very fast and soon he was close behind me. I had to do something. As I pushed myself faster, I closed my hands together, forming a ball of snow in my hands. As Seth caught the back of my tracksuit and spun me round, I pulled his t-shirt out and shoved the snowball down it. He let go of me instantly, gasping and wriggling as the ice cold snow melted on his hot skin.

I ran on, laughing so hard, I couldn’t run straight. As we reached the bottom of the stairs, Quinn pulled me into a small side corridor and Lucas veered off towards us as well.

‘Quick, take your hoodie off.’ Quinn grinned at me. I obediently did what I was told as Quinn did the same and passed me his. And then to my horror and to my delight Quinn melted into me. My exact copy was standing in front of me, pulling on my hoodie, and tucking his lion necklace into the folds of the material

Lucas stared at the transformation in shock as well.

‘Oh My God! Quinn that’s so creepy,’ I hissed, aware that Seth was closing quickly on our location ‘That’s seriously weird, I love it.’

Seth rounded the corner and stopped when he saw two of me, standing either side of a very confused and stunned Lucas, like two identical bookends.

Seth laughed loudly at our deception and I suppressed a giggle. Then he shrugged. ‘It will take me two seconds to work out who the real one is, and then there’s no escape.’

‘Go on then,’ said Quinn, defiantly but in my voice. ‘There’s no way you can tell us apart.’

Quinn was right, I could have been looking in a mirror right now. Even the way my hair was messily tied up in a ponytail was exactly duplicated in my brother’s current form.

Seth grinned hugely and took Quinn’s face, my face, in his hand bending down to kiss him on the lips.

I gasped, my hands shooting to my mouth in shock and Quinn backed away in disgust.

Seth laughed loudly, grabbed my hand and then threw me over his shoulder. ‘I think I just proved without doubt who the real Eve is.’ He quickly turned and ran towards the entrance, with me laughing so hard over his shoulder.

He ran out the door and down the stairs, past the pool, and down the next flight of stairs, heading towards the woods. Tears were soon running down my cheeks as I laughed hard at Quinn’s reaction. Seth ran through the trees, and I could feel his body shaking with laughter as he carried me.

‘Seth, stop, put me down,’ I protested feebly, through my laughter. But Seth was good, and he obediently did what he was told.